Cricket: Ton-up Jaya puts England to sword; THIRD TEST: Sri Lankan batsman rewrites the record books with 21st Test century.

Byline: Richard Gibson in Galle

MAHELA Jayawardene completed back-to-back hundreds in Galle to frustrate England's bid to level the Test series against Sri Lanka today.

Captain Jayawardene, 30, became his country's most prolific Test centurion in the process as Michael Vaughan's decision to insert was not backed up by the bowling and fielding.

Overnight rain reduced the second day's allotment of overs but Jayawardene still managed to bat for over five hours, patiently developing his 51 not out into an undefeated 149 out of Sri Lanka's 384 for six.

Jayawardene lost fifth-wicket partner Tillakaratne Dilshan, run out, in trying to reach three figures but was celebrating his 21st Test hundred in the following over, the first after tea, when he rushed through for a single off Ryan Sidebottom.

His 195 in the drawn match in Colombo last week had hoisted him alongside Aravinda de Silva in his country's list.

England finally ended a frustrating wait for a wicket when, in the 45th over of the day, after numerous near-misses, Alastair Cook secured a freeze-frame run-out of Dilshan for 84.

Attempting to steal the single, which would have taken his captain to another career milestone, television replays showed the diving Dilshan was narrowly short of his ground as Cook pounced from gully to hit the stumps with an under-arm throw.

Cook's Essex colleague Ravi Bopara was celebrating a maiden Test victim three balls later when Prasanna Jayawardene edged behind.

Like the first of the day, however, England failed to take a wicket in the final session as Chaminda Vaas proved to be admirable support for his captain against a weary bowling unit. Arguably the humidity took its toll and Vaughan was forced to rotate a seven-man attack to allow bodies to regenerate.

England failed to make the most of the damp conditions in a pre-lunch session delayed by 90 minutes as Jayawardene and Dilshan led charmed lives.

It left England's frontline pace attack luckless and wicketless despite creating numerous chances either side of taking the new ball.

Vaughan's team did not help themselves with lapses of concentration and they were also left to rue another umpiring mistake by Australian Daryl Harper.

Wicketkeeper Matt Prior pouched a fine diving catch down the leg-side off a flick by Dilshan, off Matthew Hoggard, to spark jubilant appeals from the England fielders. But Harper remained unmoved. Ryan Sidebottom had two lbw shouts turned down either side of Dilshan Chinese-cutting a seventh four, which brought up an 81-ball 50, in the first over of the new ball.

CAPTION(S):

DRIVING FORCE... Mahela Jayawardene on his way to 149 not out today.